Riserva Statale Salina di Tarquinia, State nature reserve along the Tyrrhenian coast in Tarquinia, Italy
The Riserva Statale Salina di Tarquinia is a state nature reserve spanning about 170 hectares of coastal wetlands with salt marshes and shallow lagoons. These habitats form the foundation of the reserve's ecological value along the Tyrrhenian coast.
Salt production in this area originated in Etruscan times, but the modern salt-making facilities were built in 1802 under the direction of Pope Pius VII. This combination of ancient roots and more recent industrial development shaped the reserve today.
The nineteenth-century settlement shows how salt workers and their families lived here, with a school, church, and customs building still visible today. These structures reveal the daily life and organization of a community built around salt production.
Access to the walking paths requires booking a guided tour in advance with the reserve management. Bring comfortable shoes and sun protection, as the terrain crosses wetlands and can be muddy or wet depending on the season.
More than 220 bird species inhabit this area, including nesting flamingos and cattle egrets. It protects one of the last remaining salt pan ecosystems in the region, making it a rare window into a landscape that has largely vanished elsewhere.
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